Method and apparatus for making printed flattened tubular carton blanks



Jan. 15, 1963 R. o. SPALDING ETAL 3,073,217

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING PRINTED FLATTENED TUBULAR CARTON BLANKS2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 18, 1960 ,I INVENTORS RICHARD O. SPALDINGMARVIN C. STREET m. M Mi ATTORNEYA' Jan. 15, 1963 R. o. SPALDING ETALMETHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING PRINTED FLATTENED TUBULAR CARTON BLANKS2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 18, 1960 INVENTORS RICHARD 0, SPALNNG MARVINC. STREET Y 0M. M M 1% ATTORNEYS United States Patent O 3.013311 -METHODAND APPAR' TUS FOR MAKING gr u N 'r p n FLATTENED TUBULAR CARTON Richard0. Spalding and Marvin C. Street, Toledo, Ohio,

This invention relates to method and apparatus for making printedflattened tubular carton blanks, and more particularly to a method andapparatus for making such blanks in a combined continuous process.

At the present time, blanks of the type with which the invention isconcerned are manufactured by feeding flat sheets of corrugated board orsimilar material through a printer slotter which prints, slots andscores the blank in readiness for a subsequent folding and gluingoperation. In the conventional process, the blanks are stacked as theyemerge from the printer slotter and the stack is subsequentlytransferred to a folder gluer unit and passed through the folder gluerwhich folds and glues the blank into the desired flattened tubular form.In the usual case. the stacks of blanks are not passed directly from theprinter slotter to the folder gluer, but are stored for a period of timein order to allow the printing on the blanks to dry completely beforethe blanks are fed into the folder gluer unit.

Apart from the drying of the printing, a second characteristic ofmachines presently in use prevents the combining of the printing,slotting, folding and gluing of the blanks into a single continuousoperation. This is due to the fact that the cardboard blanks emerge fromthe printer slotter with their printed side uppermost, while the mannerin which the blanks are folded in presently employed folder gluer unitsrequires the blank to be fed into the folder gluer unit with the printedside down. Thus, in the conventional process, the stacking of the blanksas they emerge from the printer slotter is employed not only to achievethe necessary ink drying time, but also to provide a convenient meansfor simultaneously inverting a relatively large number of blanks priorto their introduction into the folder gluer.

It is a primary object of our invention to provide a method andapparatus for making printed flattened tubular carton blanks in acombined continuous operation.

Another object of our invention is to provide a method and apparatus formaking printed flattened tubular carton blanks which does not requirethe inverting of the blank during the operation.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a method andapparatus for making printed flattened tubular carton blanks in whichthe blanks may be fed directly from the printing stage to the foldingand gluing stage.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a method andapparatus for folding carton blanks in which the blank is folded in thesame orientation as it emerges from the printing stage of the operation.

In the achievement of the foregoing, and other objects, carton blanksemerging from a printer slotter are conveyed through a drying operationin which the printed upper surfaces of the blank are exposed to a dryingmedium. After the blanks pass through the drying operation, they are fedto a folder gluer unit which is especially designed to receive theblanks in a printed-side-up orientation and to fold the blanks intoflattened tubular form while maintaining the printed surfaces of theblank on the exterior of the flattened tubular form. This isaccomplished by maintaining the central portion of a blank inprinted-side-up orientation while folding opposed side portions onopposite sides of the central portion successively 3,073,217 PatentedJan. 15, 1963 downwardly, inwardly and upwardly into overlappingrelationship beneath the central portion and adhesively bonding theoverlapped edges of the side portionsto each other.

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent byreference to the following specification and to the drawings.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an overall perspective view, partially broken away, of oneform of apparatus embodying the invention;

FIG. 1a is a top plan view of a typical blank operated upon by theapparatus of FIG. 1',

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view, partrally schematic with certainparts broken away or omitted, of another form of apparatus embodying theinvention;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on a vertical plane passingthrough the longitudinal center line of the folder gluer unit of theapparatus of FIG. 1; and

FIGS. 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 are transverse cross-sectional views of thefolder gluer unit taken respectively on lines 44, 55, 6-6, 7--7, and 88of FIG. 3.

Referring first to FIG. 1, one form of apparatus for producing flattenedtubular carton blanks in accordance with the present invention isdisclosed as including a printer slotter designated generally 10 whichmay be of any of a number of commercially available machines of thistype which accept generally rectangular precut pieces of corrugatedpaper board or the like, print the upper surface of the blank andsimultaneously slot and score the blank for subsequent foldingoperations. The blank is discharged from printer slotter 10 in a flat,substantially horizontal position with the printed surface of the blankuppermost.

Blanks discharged from printer slotter 10 are received by a firstconveyer designated generally 12, which may be either a belt or poweredroll conveyer of conventional construction, which conveys the sheets insuccession beneath a drier assembly, designated generally 14, with theprinted surface of the sheets uppermost. Drier 14 in FIG. 1 consists ofa steam drying oven of substantially conventional design. The length ofconveyer l2 and drier section 14 are selected in accordance with therate of movement of sheets along conveyer 12 to expose the freshlyprinted surfaces of the sheets to the heated air drying medium for asuflicient length of time to dry the printing on the sheets. Duringtransit of drier section 14, the sheets are maintained on conveyer 12 ina flat horizontal position.

The corrugated board blank as it emerges from drier section 14 may havethe general form illustrated in FIG. 1a in which the blank B may beslotted as at 16 and formed with a pair of parallel score lines such as18 and, in most cases, cut with a glue lap or tab 20 extending along oneside edge of the blank. Score lines 18 divide the blank into a centralportion 22 and a pair of opposed side portions 24 and 26. The blank, inthe usual case, is often provided with additional score lines not shownin FIG. 1a since only score lines 18 are of any especial concern in theoperation under consideration.

Sheets discharged from conveyor 12 are received by a folder gluer unitdesignated generally 28 which includes a glue applicator 29 ofconventional construction mounted at the inlet end of the unit andlocated to apply an adhesive bonding material to the upper surface ofglue laps 20 of the sheets as they are fed onto the folder gluer unit.

Folder gluer 28 includes a main conveyer belt 30 trained aroundhorizontal end rolls 32 and 34, one of the end rolls being driven inrotation by means (not shown) to drive the lower run of belt 30 in adirection away from conveyor 12. Belt 30 is of relatively smalltransverse extent and, as best seen in FIGS. 1 and 4 through 8 issomewhat narrower than the width of the central portion 3 of cartonblanks n. Blanks B are fed into folder gluer unit 28 with score lines 18extending parallel to the direction of movement of the lower run of belt30 and side portions 24 and 26 projecting transversely outwardly bepondthe edges of belt 30.

Referring now to .FIGS. 3 through 8, a secondary conveyer belt 36 istraiii'ed around a pair of end rolls 38 and 40 to underlie that portion"of belt 30 adjacent conveyer 12. One of end rolls 38 or 40 is connectedto a driving source (not shown) to drive belt 36 in a direction suchthat its upper run moves from right to left as viewed in FIG. 3. As bestseen in FIGS. 3 through 5, blanks B discharged from conveyer 12 arereceived between the opposed runs of conveyor belts 30 and 36 and thusconveyed from right to left as viewed in FIG. 3.

From the downstream end of belt 36, an elongate platelike table 42 issupported in underlying relationship with belt 30 as by a pedestal typesupport 44 at its upstream end, the downstream end of table 42 beingcantilevered from pedestal 44 as best viewed in FIG. 3. The uppersurface of table 42 forms a horizontal slideable supporting surface forthe central portions of blanks B after the blanks are conveyed beyondthe downstream end of belt 36. Preferably, the upstream end of table 42is bent downwardly somewhat as at 46 to avoid snagging the leading endof blanks passing onto the table from belt 36.

As the blank is conveyed along conveyor belt 36 and table 42, theprojecting side portions 24 and 26 are first deflected downwardly fromthe horizontal about score lines 18 by a pair of fixed deflectors 48 and50 (FIG. 1) and are then deflected further downwardly, inwardly and thenupwardly by a pair of folding belts 52 and 54 which are twisted andinclined inwardly toward the center line of the folder gluer unit in thefashion best shown in FIGS. 4 through 8. A plurality of training rollssuch as 58 are mounted upon the conveyer frame 60 (FIG. 1) at suitablelocations to guide belts 52 and 54 in the desired angular relationshipto belt 30 at selected points along the conveyer. Belts 52 and 54 aredriven by suitable means (notshown) so that the inner run of the belts(that run which engages the adjacent side portion of blank B) moves inthe same longitudinal direction as the blank.

As best seen in F167, as the blank B approaches the downstream end oftable 42, side portions 24 and 26 have been folded into a substantiallyhorizontal position beneath the lowersurface of table 42. Hence, table42 is terminated as at 62 somewhat short of end roll 32 and a secondelongate table 64 extends in longitudinal alignment with table 42 fromthe downstream end 62 of table 42 to a location somewhat beyond end roll32. The upstream end of table 64 is curved downwardly in spacedrelationship beneath end 62 of table 42 as at 66. As the blanks passbeyond the end 62 of table 42, belts 52 and 54 guide side portions 24and 26 respectively upwardly so that the lower side of the side portionsengages the upper surface of table 64 and the blank is gripped betweenthe lower run of belt 30 and the upper surface of table 64. As best seenin FIGS. 6 and 7, the dimensions of the blank, the locations of scorelines 18 and relative inclinations of belts 52 and 54 are such thatduring the folding operation, glue lap 20 is disposed in overlappingadhesive bonding relationship with side portion 26 to thereby form aflattened tubular carton blank. The printed surface of central portion22 is maintained in printed-side-up relationship throughout movement ofthe carton blank through the drier 14 and folder gluer unit 28.Hence,.the tubular carton blank is printed on its exterior surface atthe conclusion of the gluing operation.

Blanks discharged from folder gluer unit 28 are received in a cartonsquaring and counting unit of a commercially available type, partiallyindicated at 68, from which the completed tubular blanks may beconducted to further handling operations.

In the FIG. 2 embodiment a printer slotter 110 is employed to print andslot blanks B to the FIG. 1 configu- 4 ration. In the FIG. 2 embodiment,a relatively short drier section 114 is employed and carton blanks areconveyed through drier 114 as by a belt conveyor 112. The FIG. 2embodiment differs from the FIG. 1 embodiment primarily in that dryingof the printing ink is completely achieved within drier section 14 ofthe FIG. 1 embodiment, while in the FIG. 2 embodiment only paritaldrying of the printing occurs during transit of drier 114.

Blanks discharged from conveyer 112 are received upon an inter-leafconveyer 116 which transfers the blanks from conveyer 112 to an underfeeding stacker unit illustrated schematically at 118. From the underfeed stacker unit, the blanks are transferred to a folder gluer unit 128substantially similar to folder gluer unit 28 of FIG. 1 with theexception that powered rolls 136 are substituted for the secondary belt36 of the FIG. 1 embodiment. The folding and gluing operation in theFIG. 2 embodiment is substantially identical with that performed in FIG.1 embodiment.

In both embodiments, the freshly printed sheets are conveyed directlyfrom the printer slotter to the folder gluer unit, in contrast withpreviously known processes where the printed sheets are stacked andstored after they emerge from the printer slotter to afford suflicienttime for the ink to dry before the sheets are fed to conventional typesof folder gluer units. In conventional processes of this type, thestacking and storing of the freshly printed sheets, while recognized asa time con suming process, was not considered overly ineflicient sinceconventional folder gluer units operate by folding the side portions ofthe blank upwardly, inwardly and then downwardly relative to the centralportion during the folding and gluing operation and thus require thatthe printed sheet be inverted to locate the printed side of the sheetdown as it is presented to the folder gluer. Since it was necessary toinvert the sheets between the printer slotter and the folder gluer, thisoperation could be conveniently performed in the dead time in theoperation during which the ink was drying.

In the process disclosed in this application, the folder gluer operatesin an up-side-down manner as compared to conventional folder gluers andhence it is not necessary to invert the sheet after its emergence fromthe printer slotter. This permits the direct or straight line conveyingof the sheet from the printer slotter through the folder gluer unit tothereby achieve a smoothly continuous production of flattened tubularcartons printed on their exterior surface.

While we have shown and described exemplary forms of our invention, itwill be apparent to those skilled in the art that other forms ofmodification to the disclosed embodiments may be employed. Therefore,the foregoing description is not to be construed as limiting, but thetrue scope of the invention is that defined in the following claims.

We claim:

1. The method of making a flattened tubular carton blank printed on itsexterior surface from a flat sheet scored along two parallel score linesto define opposite side portions separated from each other by a centralportion comprising the steps of printing the sheet on the upper surfacethereof at a first work station, conveying the printed sheet in adirection parallel to said score lines to a second work station whilemaintaining the printed surface of said sheet uppermost, folding saidsheet during the conveying of said sheet between said first and saidsecond work stations by successively deflecting said side portionsdownwardly, inwardly and upwardly in continuous movement about saidscore lines into overlapping relationship beneath said central portionwhile maintaining said central portion horizontal with the printedsurface uppermost, and adhesively bonding the overlapped portions ofsaid side portions to each other.

2. The method of making a flattened tubular carton blank printed on itsexterior surface from a fiat sheet scored along two parallel score linesto define opposite side portions separated from each other by a centralportion comprising the steps of printing the sheet on the upper surfacethereof at a first work station, conveying the sheet m a directionparallel to said score lines to a second work station while maintainingthe printed surface of said sheet uppermost, exposing the printedsurface of said sheet to a drying medium during movement of said sheetbetween said first and said second work stations, folding said sheetsubsequent to its exposure to said drying medium and during movement ofsaid sheet between said first and said second work stations bysuccessively deflecting said side portions downwardly, inwardly andupwardly in continuous movement about said score lines into overlappingrelationship beneath said central portion while maintaining said centralportion horizontal with the printed surface uppermost, and adhesivelybonding the overlapped portions of said side portions to each other.

3. The method of making a flattened tubular carton blank printed on itsexterior surface from a flat sheet scored along two parallel score linesto define opposite side portions separated from each other by a centralportion comprising the steps of printing the sheet on the upper surfacethereof at a first work station, conveying the sheet in a directionparallel to said score lines to a second work station while maintainingthe printed surface of said sheet uppermost, applying an adhesivebonding material to the upper surface of one of said side portions in astrip extending along the edge of the side portion remote from saidcentral portion during movement of said sheet between said first andsaid second work stations, subsequently folding said sheet duringmovement of said sheet between said first and said second work stationsby successively deflecting said side portions downwardly, inwardly andupwardly in continuous movement about said score lines to locate thestrip of adhesive bonding material on said one side portion inoverlapping bonding relationship with the other of said side portions.

4. The method of making a flattened tubular carton blank printed on itsexterior surface from a flat sheet scored along two parallel score linesto define opposite side portions separated from each other by a centralportion comprising the steps of printing the sheet on the upper surfacethereof at a first work station, conveying the sheet in a directionparallel to said score lines to a second work station while maintainingthe printed surface of said sheet uppermost, exposing the upper surfaceof said sheet to a drying medium during the initial portion of movementof said sheet from said first work station, applying an adhesive bondingmaterial to the upper surface of one of said side portions in a stripextending along the edge thereof remote from said central portionsubsequent to the exposure of said sheet to said drying medium, andsubsequently folding said sheet during movement of said sheet betweensaid first and said second work stations by successively deflecting saidside portions downwardly, inwardly and upwardly in continuous movementabout said score lines,to dispose the strip of adhesive bonding materialon said one of said side portions in overlapping bonding relationshipwith the other of said side portions.

5. The method as defined in claim 4 wherein the central portion of saidsheet is conveyed in continuous movement between said first and saidsecond stations and maintained in a horizontal position throughoutmovement.

6. The method as defined in claim 4 wherein the rate of movement of saidsheet toward said work station is retarded between the exposure of saidsheet to said drying medium and the application of adhesive thereto.

7. Apparatus for making flattened tubular carton blanks 7o printed ontheir exterior surface from flat generally rectangular sheets divided bya pair of parallel score lines into a central portion and opposite sideportions, said apparatus comprising printing means for printing saidsheets on the upper surface thereof, first conveying means for conveyingfreshly printed sheets in succession from said printing means with theprinted surface of said sheets uppermost, drying means overlying saidfirst conveying means for drying the freshly printed surfaces ofsaidsheets as said sheets areconveyedalong said first conveying means,second conveying means for receiving sheets from said first conveyingmeans and conveying said sheets in a direction parallel to said scorelines with the central portions of the sheets supported in a horizontalprintedside-up relationship, folding means extending along the opposedsides of said second conveying means for successively deflecting theopposite side portions of said sheets downwardly, inwardly and thenupwardly into overlapping relationship beneath the central portion assaid sheets are conveyed along said second conveying means, and meansfor securing the overlapped side portions of each sheet to each other.

8. Apparatus for making flattened tubular carton blanks printed on theirexterior surface from flat generally rectangular s"eets divided by apair of parallel score lines into a central portion and opposite sideportions, said apparatus comprising printing means for printing saidsheets on the upper surface thereof, first conveying means for conveyingfreshly printed sheets from said printing means with the printed surfaceof the sheets uppermost, drying means overlying said first conveyingmeans for drying the freshly printed surfaces of said sheets as saidsheets are conveyed along said first conveying means, second conveyingmeans for receiving sheets from said first conveying means and conveyingsaid sheets in succession in a direction parallel to said score lineswith the central portion of the sheet maintained in a ,7

horizontal printed-side-up relationship, means for applying a strip ofadhesive bonding material along the upper surface of each sheet adjacentthe edge of one side portion remote from said central portion as saidsheets are conveyed along said second conveying means, and folding meansextending along the opposed sides of said second conveying means forsuccessively deflecting the opposite side portions of said sheetsdownwardly, inwardly and then upwardly as said sheets are conveyed alongsaid second conveying means to locate the strip of adhesive,

bonding material on said one of said side portions in overlappingbonding engagement with the other side portion.

9. Apparatus for folding a flat sheet having a pair of parallel scorelines thereon dividing said sheet into a central portion and a pair ofopposed side portions, said apparatus comprising conveying meansengageable with the upper surface of said central portion of said sheetfor conveying said sheet in a direction parallel to said score linesfrom a first location to a second location, first supporting meansextending from said first location engageable with the under surface ofsaid central portion to support said sheet during movement between saidfirst location and an intermediate location, means engageable with theside portions of said sheet for folding said side portions successivelydownwardly, inwardly 'and then upwardly about said score lines intooverlapping relationship beneath said first supporting means as saidsheet is conveyed from said first location to said intermediatelocation, and second supporting means engageable with the under surfaceof the overlapped side portions to ,support said sheet as said sheet isconveyed from said/intermediate location to said second location.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Staudeet a1. Feb. 18, 1946

7. APPARATUS FOR MAKING FLATTENED TUBULAR CARTON BLANKS PRINTED ON THEIREXTERIOR SURFACE FROM FLAT GENERALLY RECTANGULAR SHEETS DIVIDED BY APAIR OF PARALLEL SCORE LINES INTO A CENTRAL PORTION AND OPPOSITE SIDEPORTIONS, SAID APPARATUS COMPRISING PRINTING MEANS FOR PRINTING SAIDSHEETS ON THE UPPER SURFACE THEREOF, FIRST CONVEYING MEANS FOR CONVEYINGFRESHLY PRINTED SHEETS IN SUCCESSION FROM SAID PRINTING MEANS WITH THEPRINTED SURFACE OF SAID SHEETS UPPERMOST, DRYING MEANS OVERLYING SAIDFIRST CONVEYING MEANS FOR DRYING THE FRESHLY PRINTED SURFACES OF SAIDSHEETS AS SAID SHEETS ARE CONVEYED ALONG SAID FIRST CONVEYING MEANS,SECOND CONVEYING MEANS FOR RECEIVING SHEETS FROM SAID FIRST CONVEYINGMEANS AND CONVEYING SAID SHEETS IN A DIRECTION PARALLEL TO SAID SCORELINES WITH THE CENTRAL PORTIONS OF THE SHEETS SUPPORTED IN A HORIZONTALPRINTEDSIDE-UP RELATIONSHIP, FOLDING MEANS EXTENDING ALONG THE OPPOSEDSIDES OF SAID SECOND CONVEYING MEANS FOR SUCCESSIVELY DEFLECTING THEOPPOSITE SIDE PORTIONS OF SAID SHEETS DOWNWARDLY, INWARDLY AND THENUPWARDLY INTO OVERLAPPING RELATIONSHIP BENEATH THE CENTRAL PORTION ASSAID SHEETS ARE CONVEYED ALONG SAID SECOND CONVEYING MEANS, AND MEANSFOR SECURING THE OVERLAPPED SIDE PORTIONS OF EACH SHEET TO EACH OTHER.